The Washington critic., 1887-03-22
JESSlE'S LOVERS.


hair, Jessie left the glass and ran down
stairs and out into the garden, where
she always spent an hour before break
fast. a gentleman was there already
n pleasant looking man, who wore
large hat of Panama straw and n collar
that exposed his handsome throat.
Good morning, Miss Rue" DIR.
Manly cried, taking or his big hat. II
have come TO beg some flowers for
patient"
You must always help yourself 10
flowers for your sick folk, and ] shall
be prouder Of my garden than before"
said Jessie. "Lend me your knife"
And when he had opened 1t for her
she cut him a bouquet, fragrant and
beautiful, and arranged 1t with uner.
ring taste and made him hold II while
she bound 1t together with some silk
from reel she had In her embroidered
apron pocket, he looking at her with
admiration oil the while When at last
he thanked her and went away Jessie
laughed.
Il don't believe in your patient, Doc.
tor Manly" she said TO herself at
was only an excuse 10 see me-.
And she thought so every morning
when he came for his flowers. She
saw him oftenest in the morning. Ash.
ley Honeywell she met when she visit.
cd at teas and dancing parties How
often Jessie wished the two men could
be changed in some way. Ashley was
the man she intended to choose, but
sometimes that light In the dark. gray
eyes under the doctors great straw hat
made her wish that he were Ashley
and Ashley he.
Time passed. Some little things
happened. Ashley had openly de.
clarcd his admiration. They were on
the very point of being engaged, and
the doctor suddenly ceased to he lover.
like. He came for the flowers STILL but
she knew now that he did not do II that
he might meet her. He took them to
patient o. 20, taking long walk,
she had paused at little cottage on
the roadside to ask for drink of cool
well water, and had seen, In great
chair near the door, girl as lovely as
an angel, though she was evidently still
quite Ill. Near her, In great class
pitcher, stood bouquet of flowers that
Jessie thought she recognized as those
she had plucked that morning In her
own garden.
"Those flowers are beautiful, are
they not p the sick girl asked of Jes-
sic, while the little boy ran for fresh
water. "a dear friend brings them to
me every day. He says lady has told
him i may have all want. lie brings
them long way. The lady must bu
very rich, think. / fancy her old.
white haired = something like my
grandmother in her pretty lace cap. I
have all sorts of fancies in this invalid
chair"
Then the nurse came in and Jessie
said good by.
"He has not even described me, "
she thought; land, oh how lovely
the girl is!' And then she found her.
self crying. That evening she engaged
herself TO Ashley Honeywell
The doctor came for his flowers; she
picked them for him, but she did not
smile as she used, nor did he look into
her eyes. With every motion of the
hand that held the flowers which she
cut he saw the flash of Ashley Honey-
wells engagement ring.
'bt Us olC sat az WI N uDDu
her porch, boy hurried up the path.
She remembered him as the chill who
had brought the water in that pretty
cottage parlor where she had seen the
beautiful invalid 10 whom DIR. Manly
took her flowers.
us the doctor here-Dr. Manly ?" he
asked. II was told he might be. Miss
Gwendoline is dying, Aunt Jane says.
oh, Miss, Y you only can tell me where
to find him /! He'll save her, If any one
camp
The child was crying. Jesse was
t:oubled and agitatcd.
THE doctor must be on his round of
visits she said. "I'll send Jack to
lcok for him.
he called the lad who helped the
gardener, and bade him go with the
little fellow and search for the doctor.
And then she hastily donned her riding.
habit and rode away toward the cottage
why she did not know, or whether
she could do any good; but her heart
bade her go.
She alighted at the door and entered
in haste. The girl sat in her chair; the
old nurse stood behind her.
You have come" said the girl. 81
am so glad-so glad. They came this
morning. saw both of them. You
don't know, perhaps. Mother smiled
father looked stern; but they will for.
give me after while. They arc both
dead; but they came; saw them"
in dreamy" asked Jessie.
NO." said Gwendoline. "Thcir
spirits came. Think how strange That
was. You know, was engaged to my
cousin, DIR. ManlyY"
NO" said Jessie; II did not know. -
II was" said Gwendoline, "but
Tilted him. lie was not hand some
He was grave and older than | and
liked Ashley-Ashley Honeywell -anG
one night | ran away, Oh, it wa
years ago. am five and twenty now
! was seventeen then, and my father
died of 1t, and my mOther-oh, | was
q wicked girl We went 10 Italy. IL,
married me with ring, lie said 1
was true marriage. | believed it
but one day he told me II was no mar
riagc at ali. lie was IN love with AZ
Italian woman, II singer. spoke Of I
and of myself as a wife To whom II,
should be true. Then he said | wa
not his wife. lie said was fool Il
believe that a ring aud vow between
us two could make me one. and RAJ
away. ! hid on II steamer coming t,
America. | was starved and lrozcl
when they found me. | had this cold
They were good to me and brought III,
here. But my parents were dead, ant
the only one who knew me was til,
man ] had Tilted, my cousin, Dr. Olive
Manly"
Jessie bent her head upon the pal,
hand she held and tears fell.
Don't cry for me-" said Gwondo
line. II am going very soon to HEAVIER
to my mother. | shall pray ther,
that some good girl will love Cousin
Oliyer-some beautiful woman-like-